


nine, ten

by okaythankyou



Series: these arms are made for holding you [3]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/F, Growing Up Together, dubchaeng soulmates? dubchaeng soulmates, is it slowburn?, it must've been fluff but it's slowburn now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22990426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okaythankyou/pseuds/okaythankyou
Summary: of sticky hands, butterflies, and a new friend
Relationships: Kim Dahyun/Son Chaeyoung
Series: these arms are made for holding you [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651882
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	nine, ten

the park was empty, except for some birds. it's the first time dahyun went there but she can't shake a familiar feeling it brought her.

maybe it came with her and chaeyoung being in a playground again, she thinks. as what seemed like yesterday, has now became two years, and they have been inseparable since... up until summer ends, that is.

dahyun couldn't help but think that things might change. as when it ends, she'd be off to a different place. 

"did you know that the breeze can hear you when you whistle?" she asks chaeyoung to keep things off her mind, even just a little.

the other girl looked confused but starts to do so anyway, or well, tries.

she still can't whistle, even when dahyun has tried to teach her countless times by now, ever since her teeth grew out.

dahyun laughs at her attempts which only leads chaeyoung to pout, which makes dahyun laugh even more.

they're sat on the swing, eating flavored ice pops after they went biking. chaeyoung's almost done with hers—still strawberry flavored, as it always has been.

meanwhile, dahyun's chocolate ice pop was melting faster than she can finish. she kept on getting brain freeze everytime she bites through it, which meant her hands were definitely sticky now, and getting stickier by the minute.

"i still can't do it," chaeyoung says eyebrows raised, as she sighs finally giving up.

dahyun knows what's gonna happen next, as chaeyoung moves to face her "show me again?"

and there it was, the request, which now ends with a toothy smile. front teeth and fangs, all bright—complete with that dimple on the side.

dahyun laughs, as chaeyoung looks ridiculous. one thing she has learned through time however, is that even if she tried, she couldn't say no to when she's put against this sight. 

before chaeyoung can begin to frown, dahyun sighs, which makes the other girl light up.

dahyun puffs her cheeks dramatically, and whistles.

they watch as a breeze hit the trees from a distance. 

"ah!" chaeyoung gasps as the soft wind reaches them, "it's true!"

dahyun just shows her a smug smile. 

"so cool!"

"oh, well thank you!"

dahyun expected chaeyoung to say she was talking about the breeze, but the little girl just kept quietly giggling to herself, now finished eating and is fiddling with her popsicle stick.

dahyun also has, but is uncomfortable with her hands, if only she can wash it somewhere. just as she was about to stand,

"that's where you're going this year, right?"

chaeyoung says, gazing at the distance.

_oh... so that's why_

dahyun thinks her heart dropped, unable to form words. _that's why it's familiar_ —it's where she's going when school starts. once summer's over, that's where she's going to transfer.

her parents keep telling her this is good, private school is better, that it's for the best, and she'll meet new friends.

and don't get her wrong, she's excited. she already has everything ready—and they're new, and shiny. it's just—

she's also scared, because she knows things will be different. she's not sure if it could be good, better, or best, if chaeyoung won't be present.

she wrings her hands, and finally nods. she sees chaeyoung just looking at her, her face amused, and well, dahyun is confused...

"really?! that's so cool! it's near! we can still go home together unnie!" 

dahyun just blinks and stares at her. baffled.

chaeyoung gives her a kind look, and before she can say anything, chaeyoung takes her hand like it's nothing.

she just pulls her away, and smiles. unbothered by everything.

"follow me! i know a shortcut!" she says as she grins. "this is gonna be so fun."

dahyun didn't even have a chance question anything.

it's mid-afternoon now, and chaeyoung leads her to an unusual path through some trees. bikes still in tow, they go behind the branches, and evaded some leaves. 

"we're here" she whispers as they halt. she doesn't know why she's whispering.

it's a huge garden, and dahyun can see different flowers in full bloom.

"who's backyard is this—"

"sshh" chaeyoung says holding a finger to her lips, "wait for it..."

"wait for what?"

and just as chaeyoung lightly squeezes her hand, then she sees

_butterflies_

butterflies of different colors and sizes just flying all around, low and high. and dahyun can only gasp and couldn't take off her eyes.

"c'mon" chaeyoung says softly as she giggles. pulling dahyun's fingers to move closer slowly. 

it's surreal. everything is such a pretty sight. it's something she should ask chaeyoung how she has managed to find. 

they stop in the middle, and she sees chaeyoung smile at her. she then points to dahyun's shoulder, and there they were, the butterflies made their way to surround her. 

dahyun can feel them tickle lightly when their wings hit her skin. they fly all over her arms her legs, her face—she can only grin.

a fluttering feeling, she feels it all over. 

she gazes at chaeyoung, now arms wide, as butterflies surround her. her face plastered with a smile, her eyes disappearing into crescents.

she looks so content.

dahyun follows suit and she feels it—free, all warmed up, and fuzzy.

chaeyoung raise her arms and starts to turn around, the butterflies follow her like she's tiny fairy in command. dahyun wants to do the same,

but then chaeyoung takes her hand—both her hands now, to pull her into a spin,

and around

and around they go.

they couldn't stop laughing as they spin together. the last thing they feel on their skin, is the grass below.

dahyun can still feel the fluttering despite the absence of the cause.

in that moment, as they smile towards the sky, all dahyun wants is to stay there and stop time. that view of chaeyoung will stick to her mind clear as day,

a reminder that things will change but it also remains the same.

-

they pedal on the cobblestone pavement now, and dahyun is sure that they're definitely in someone's backyard.

"are you sure it's okay that we're here?"

"anywhere with you is fine," chaeyoung shrugs and just smiles. "race you to the gate!"

"hey wait!"

\--

and as the wind blew, time flew. dahyun doesn't think about the few butterflies that got caught in her rib cage.

it's not like she knew what they were for, or if there was something she could do about them. she knew that there was a reason, but didn't know it yet. 

the butterflies just stayed and settled.

\--

the summer was almost over, still they bike around and hang out in each others places, as well as the park, and someone's backyard who chaeyoung swore didn't mind their presence… but their dog thought otherwise. 

"chaeyoung!" dahyun was already cowering behind her, using her as a human shield against the relentless yapping.

they hear someone whistle. it cuts through, and the dog finally leaves them. 

"dubu, you're okay" chaeyoung looks at her, then giggles. 

"the dog was this tiny" she pinches her fingers near her eyes.

"but that doesn't mean they're not scary!"

"i know" and chaeyoung grips her hand then. 

and there it is, that feeling again. but dahyun doesn't think about it that much.

"oh, hi" chaeyoung says as she lets go and waves, 

and dahyun saw her, another girl emerging from a gateway and walking toward them. 

"i am sorry about my dog" she says sheepishly.

"hi tzu, that's fine, your dog was really cute"

dahyun could only stare. she's incredibly pretty. her doe eyes are as gentle as the summer breeze. her hair—

"oh dahyun unnie this is chou tzuyu…"

"really pretty" dahyun blurts out

_oh my god_

"i mean it's really pretty HERE in your backyard--garden, that wekeeponvisitingwithoutasking, we're so sorry… "

"wow" chaeyoung can only say.

"it's okay unnie, you are more than welcome"

tzuyu just sends her a knowing smile.

_she's so pretty and nice._

she learned tzuyu and chaeyoung are same aged, goes to the same school, and goes to the same class, which means they'd get to spend more time with each other. 

_that's cool._

oh, and she can whistle too.

_totally cool._

dahyun just looks at the two who are now looking at some caterpillars and talking about cocoons.

but dahyun was starting to feel something _different—_ there's a gnawing feeling in her stomach climbing to her chest. it’s like hundreds of hungry caterpillars are eating her guts as they do with leaves.

it reminds her of a time when her dad bought her chocolates one day. but she sees her brother eat them the next, and she couldn’t do anything about it, since myungsoo didn’t know that it was hers, and that they were taught to share. 

this shouldn’t feel any different from that.

but it does. it's almost like being scared in a way but… dahyun can't explain it. 

she just knows that it feels bad. it feels selfish. it feels ugly. it feels stupid.

her chest was now tight. she doesn't realize she was so fixated on a leaf and was gritting her teeth until chaeyoung squishes her cheeks, 

"earth to dubu"

then she remembers where she was, and tzuyu was giving her a smile—the soft kind. and it felt so genuine, so pure.

dahyun was starting to get embarrassed by how she felt. tzuyu doesn’t deserve this, tzuyu who’s so pretty and nice.

she had to physically shake her head as she tries and shake it off. 

"hey tzuyu, have you ever seen an eagle dance?" she asks. tzuyu shakes her head.

"oh you gotta see this" she hears chaeyoung add.

-

"see you again tzuyu, let's play at my house next time!" dahyun says with a wave

"at mine too!" chaeyoung excitedly says and tzuyu nods at them with a bright smile on her face. 

tzuyu is really nice, and dahyun would really want to be friends with her... but it's confusing as to why her stomach hurt every time she thinks about chaeyoung and tzuyu.

even when she doesn't really mind if they'd be friends. even when they become best friends. it's just, she wants to be there too, but she can't.

_it's not fair._

"you okay?" chaeyoung pauses to look at her as they walk.

dahyun doesn’t know how chaeyoung does this, how she can just pick up what she’s feeling. makes her wonder if she’s an open book that chaeyoung can just easily read.

“hey” chaeyoung stops now, looking worried.

"chaeyoung…" dahyun stops too.

"...we'll always be friends right?"

chaeyoung is taken aback by the question,

"what? of course! always.”

she beams at this and dahyun just looks at her—that same one she always has.

"you're my best friend, dubu" she says as she squeezes both of her cheeks.

she knows this was true but she just wants to make sure... she sticks her pinky finger out,

"even when we're apart?"

and chaeyoung just grins wider, as she locks hers on.

“yeah bro, even when were apart, you'll always have a piece of my heart"

dahyun chuckles,

"where did you learn that—"

chaeyoung just sticks her tongue out and shrugs. they don't notice how naturally their fingers intertwined afterwards.

she pulls dahyun with one hand though, with her bike on the other side, as they start to walk again.

dahyun sees her glance at her direction, she throws in a smile too.

"you're my best friend 'til the end too chaengie, and nothing will ever change that!"

\--

they didn't really get to go home together, as plans change, especially when you're both just kids who don't get to have alot of say on how to do things yet.

"maybe when youre older," she hears her mom say,

and dahyun can wait for that.


End file.
